Misunderstood: The Struggles to Keep a Secret
by Peach the Hedgehog
Summary: They know she is hiding something, and she fled because of it, alongside her friend. But now, she is caught, a prisoner of her friend's family. Will Christy keep her promise? Or will she tell them what they want to know?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Harvest Moon series.

**AN: I had been debating about turning my latest oneshot Misunderstood: A Mortal's Little Secret into a multichapted fic. I have decided to keep it a oneshot, however, what happens will be explained in this story, and it will be multichaptered. As before, I have permission from Awesome Rapidash to write this, and he is even helping me with it! Thanks Rapid-chan!**

**This takes place after chapter 17 of Misunderstood, and Misunderstood: A Mortal's Little Secret.**

_Christy and Maya, a mortal girl and a witch, walked side by side through the dark forest. It was a little too eerie for the brunette's liking, but she knew they had to get away. Maya appeared to be deep in thought, but she didn't say anything._

_Both of the girls were on the run. At the moment, they were trying to get as far away as they could, to find a place where they could settle down together as well as being accepted. But they wouldn't have to go this far if it wasn't for what happened not long ago._

_On a recent trip to Forget Me Not Valley, Christy had met Hikari, the Witch Princess and the last known survivor of the Hychi clan. The blonde haired witch was married to her good friend Jack, who now owned Pallet Farm, and they had an adorable little girl named after her._

_Meeting her wasn't too bad really. In fact, while the mortal had been a little jealous, she was very happy for Jack and Hikari. In fact, her problems had come when she met Maya's family; particularly her father, Daniel._

_Maya and her family were members of the Huuga clan, who had attacked the Hychi clan a long time ago. They had been looking for the remaining survivor, but they couldn't find her. But now they knew someone who had the information they sought; Christy. But the brown eyed girl refused to tell, because before she left the valley and Mineral Town, she made a promise._

_Maya suddenly gasped, catching her friend's attention. "I feel my father. He is close by, Christy!"_

_Christy looked alarmed as she turned her gaze to the witch, so she wouldn't be looking at the dark trees that surrounded them. "What do you mean you feel him?"_

"_It is difficult to explain," the black haired girl said. "All I know is that he is close."_

_The brunette looked a little nervous. "He caught up rather quickly, didn't he? We didn't have any time to get out of these woods!"_

_Maya only sighed before turning her attention to her friend. "I don't know what will happen. But, promise me this; no matter what happens, you won't break your promise, even if I am threatened."_

"_Even if you… but, Maya!"_

"_I have no regrets, Christy! When I ran away with you, I accepted what would happen!" The witch looked into her friend's eyes. "Now please, promise me!"_

"_Okay, Maya," Christy nodded slowly and managed a small smile. "I promise!"_

* * *

Christy groaned as she opened up her eyes, finding herself in a cold place, with a stone wall behind her, and a concrete floor she was lying on. There were also steel bars in front of her, showing that she was a cell. The cage was wasn't very small, but at the same time, it wasn't very big either. From the look of the walls, she was pretty sure she was in someone's basement, and she had a pretty good idea where she was. She also knew who had brought her to this place.

Not long after she agreed to her friend's terms, she had been attacked from behind and fell on the grass. The last thing she could remember was hearing Maya's voice calling her name, and then she blacked out. Even though she didn't see who had hit her, she still knew. She had been captured by Daniel, Maya's father, which meant that she was back in her friend's home. But most likely it wasn't her friend's home anymore, ever since Maya's family came.

Christy shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to keep warm. She wondered about what had happened to Maya. The girl was truthfully afraid for her. Sure, they were family, but she had a feeling that even that wouldn't stop her friend from being hurt. That was proven when she made her promise not to tell, no matter what happened to her.

As Christy leaned against the stone wall, her brown eyes scanned the cold, dark basement. It didn't take her long to find a figure on the other side of the room. Almost weakly, she stood and walked over to the cell door, her legs trembling, because she didn't know what she would see.

The brunette's hand shot up to her mouth when she saw a ragged looking Maya in the cage across from her own. Her clothes were ripped, her hair looked tangled, and she just looked completely awful! "Maya… w… what happened to you?"

The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs alerted the girl that someone was coming. She watched as a familiar black haired man turned the corner and stopped directly in front of her cell. He unlocked the door, and came inside. The girl tried to stand her ground as Maya's father loomed closer.

"Did you really think you could escape me? Foolish mortal!" Daniel glared at the girl angrily. "I don't know what you did, but you have my daughter convinced that what you are doing is justified. And while I don't believe so, she attacked me in order to save you!"

Christy gasped only slightly as she recalled how her unconscious friend looked. That was why she looked so terrible? She attacked her own father in order to help her?

"Now then, I will ask you to give me the whereabouts of the surviving Hychi clan member!"

The mortal girl glanced back at the man before her, trying to show determination over her fear. "I won't tell you anything! I made a promise, and I intend to keep it!"

"Do you not realize what I could do to you, you foolish girl?" Daniel demanded, looking coldly into Christy's brown eyes. "I could fill your life with pain and suffering. Would that be worth it?"

"I was willing to die to keep my promise!" Christy reminded him. "When I lied to you about being a member of the Hychi clan, I knew that I would die, but…. The reason I did was to keep my promise! I won't break it so easily!"

A small smirk crossed the man's face. "I see. Then perhaps I must use another method to convince you. And, I believe I know just the thing. Perhaps I should punish someone else in your place. Like Maya."

An alarmed expression filled Christy's face. "You wouldn't! She's your daughter!"

"She has defiled the name of her clan, and as such she no longer deserves to be known as my daughter," the wizard told her.

"She didn't dirty her hands by killing the members of the Hychi clan, like you have!" the brunette quickly accused.

"No, she chose to turn her back on her fellow clansmen. And to make matters worse, she knew that you were hiding the truth from us, yet remained silent!"

"You can't use that against her!" the brown haired girl yelled, hoping that she was defending her friend. "She couldn't tell you because of my promise! I wasn't allowed to tell anyone, including her!"

"That is true," Daniel agreed, but continued to stare coldly at the human girl. "But, once Maya knew of your little secret she didn't try to capture you to turn you over to me; she chose to flee with you!"

Christy placed her hands on her hips, staring back at the man that had hurt her friend. "It's because she is my friend! Friends help each other!"

"She is a member of my family, as well as the Huuga clan before being friends with you! No bond should be stronger than that!"

"A family bond doesn't matter in this case! At times, you have to follow your heart on what you feel is right!" As she spoke, the mortal girl placed one hand over where her heart was, beating hard against her chest. "Honestly, I think she has made some pretty good choices."

Daniel chuckled a little. "Of that I doubt. You've seen her yourself. Does it look like she has made some good choices?"

"She may have been hurt, but she does not regret her decisions," Christy explained slowly. "Before you attacked, she made me promise something else… that even if you threaten me by punishing her, I wouldn't say a word. It was as if she knew you would try that first, to use my friendship with her against me. Like her, I am willing to face what will happen." A small sigh escaped her lips, but she tried to look confident. "I may be your prisoner now, but like Maya, I do not regret my decision!"

Daniel took a few steps backward, but kept his gaze on the mortal girl. "You say this now. But in time you will beg for mercy!"

Christy tried to keep herself from looking as scared as she felt. After all, a promise to her friend Jack, whether of not he knew of her promise, was stronger than her fear. "I won't! Like I told you, I won't tell you what you want to know!

"Is that so? Well, let's see what happens to you when you experience some discomfort and starvation." Daniel chanted a spell and before the brown eyed girl knew it, she was on the cold, hard, concrete floor. He smirked at her and walked back toward the brunette taking some rope out of his pockets to bind her arms and legs. After all, a spell would fade over time, but regular ropes can only be removed by hand. Once he was he done tying her up, he removed a cloth from his other pocket. He placed it over the girl's mouth, tying it tightly behind her head.

Christy just moaned and groaned as this was going on. She knew what Daniel wanted, but she wasn't going to be giving him the satisfaction he wanted from this. There had been times she had gone without as much food and water than she would like. So, this just meant she would be hungry for a little while longer, and she would just have to endure some pain as well.

Besides, there was one thing she was sure of. She had the information that they needed. Because of that, the girl knew that she wouldn't die, that is until she told them what they wanted to know. But she was willing to protect this secret until the bitter end. She would protect Jack, Hikari and baby Christy.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Harvest Moon series.

It had been a long time. But, Christy didn't have a clue how long it had really been. All she knew was that she was hungry, cold and uncomfortable. She looked through the bars of her cell to see how Maya was doing. The black haired witch was leaning against the wall of her cage, looking right back at her. She appeared sad as she looked at the brunette, who was still bound and gagged.

The silence was broken with the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs. The two prisoners had a feeling they knew who it was, and their suspicions were confirmed when they saw Daniel turn the corner. He looked through the bars of each cell, grinning to himself when he saw Christy. The mortal looked so miserable, he was sure that she would speak.

The wizard unlocked the door to Christy's cage and walked inside. He reached down and removed the gag, causing the girl to gasp slightly. "So, have you come to your senses? Will you give me the information I seek?

Christy groaned a little, and looked directly at Daniel. "No, I won't. I… I won't tell."

"I don't know anything, and even if I did, I wouldn't say anything either!" Maya added loudly so she could be heard. "I believe in what Christy had decided to do, and I stand by her!"

"Maya," the brown eyed girl said softly, managing a weak smile.

"I see. It would appear that conventional means will not work here. It seems that we will have to try something else… a little more unique," Daniel remarked.

Christy's stomach suddenly growled on her, reminding her that she was very hungry. She did her best to ignore it. "Try whatever you want. I won't tell you anything!"

"So you say," the wizard said coldly as he placed the cloth back over the girl's mouth. "But, we will try, you can bet on that!" Daniel stood and left the girl's cage, locking it behind him. He stopped for a moment to glare at Maya before he walked off, leaving the two alone.

The black haired witch got to her feet and walked to the door, curling her fingers around the bars. Her blue eyes sadly gazed at her tied up friend, wondering how she was feeling. The mortal girl appeared to be shivering, but she wasn't sure if it was due to the cold or her fear. It may even be a mixture of both.

"Christy, I'm sorry this happened," the witch said to her friend. "I'm not sure what will happen now, but we can be sure that they will do whatever they can to get you to talk."

The brunette glanced over at Maya and she started to move her head. Daniel didn't tie the cloth nearly as tightly as he did before, so maybe if she was lucky, she could get free. It took a few minutes, if not more, for the girl to get her mouth free. She gasped only a little, but it felt better to be able to talk.

"I don't know what will happen either," she finally answered. "But, that is one of the reasons I kept the information to myself."

"I was sure you had your reasons," Maya said slowly. But, I think I should tell you something, Christy. My father… he can be… well he can be a very harsh person!"

"Actually, I'm not surprised," Christy said as she nodded her head.

"So… even knowing this, or you willing to continue to defy my father's requests?"

The mortal girl didn't even have to think before she spoke. "Yes, I do. This is one promise I intend to keep no matter what."

Maya smiled a little. "Yes, I know. I watched you when you lied about being the last Hychi clan member. You were willing to take the risk, even though you knew you would be killed. That was one of the reasons that I chose to stand beside you."

A small grin crossed Christy's face. She was happy to hear her friend say that to her. While she still didn't know what the future had in store for her, she felt just a little stronger knowing that she wasn't alone.

"I think for the time being, we should try to rest ourselves as best as we can," the black haired witch said after a moment of silence. "I know that it will be difficult, but we need to be as strong as we can. Especially you, Christy. You need your strength if you hope to resist my Father's attacks."

Christy nodded slowly, deciding that she shouldn't argue. She knew that she was tired. She had a very long day, which felt like an eternity. She closed her brown eyes, but she didn't fall asleep right away. She had never slept in such conditions before, because she never had to. Eventually, after several attempts, she managed to go to sleep.

* * *

_Christy felt the tears in her eyes as she laid down on her bed. She didn't want to get up. She didn't want to watch him leave. She felt that if she did, it would be like he would be walking away from her forever._

_Jack was going to be leaving in a few hours and she'd promised she would be there to see him off. But this was a promise she was thinking of breaking. Her heart throbbed with pain as tears of sorrow welled in her eyes._

_The brunette had known this young man for a long time now, ever since they were teenagers. It was then that she was teased by a group of kids and he'd comforted her and that had given her the courage to stand up against them. Ever since that day, they'd spent a lot of time together, and they had become really close friends. But, as time went on, Christy formed a crush on the young man, and eventually fell in love with him._

_But now, it felt like he was leaving her behind. He was going to go to Forget Me Not Valley because he owned a farm now. She couldn't remember the details at the current moment, and even if she could, she didn't really care. It felt as if her heart was breaking in two._

"_It's over," she murmured weakly. "Now we will never be together."_

_"But, you can still be friends with him," a familiar voice said behind her. The weeping brunette looked up from her pillow and watched as her mother sat beside her. "I know you are grieving now, but this doesn't mean that you can't be friends with him."_

* * *

Christy's eyes fluttered open and for a moment, she felt a mixture of sadness and determination. She remembered that day all too well. While it did fill her heart with pain and sorrow, her mother had stayed by her side. After a while, she convinced her daughter to go and see Jack.

The girl smiled a little. While she didn't want to, she was glad that she did. The farmer-to-be had been happy to see her and gave her a lovely gold necklace with a silver dolphin pendant. She treasured it with all of her heart and wore it often, including now. And while she knew that they wouldn't be able to live together, Christy decided that she would still be a friend of his, a treasured friend like no other.

It wasn't long until she heard the sounds of footsteps on the concrete floor. Christy was sure that was Daniel, and despite her growling stomach, she prepared for the worst. But, instead of seeing the wizard, she instead saw a familiar red haired witch; Maya's mother, Krystal. Her eyes were filled with surprise as she watched the witch unlock the door and came toward the girl, holding onto a plate of pasta with red sauce on top, and a can of refreshing cola. She set the can and plate down on the ground and untied the girl's arms and legs.

"I am going to be speaking to you first, before my husband comes," the woman said, smiling sweetly. "But first, you must be hungry and thirsty."

Christy couldn't help staring at Krystal suspiciously. She was almost sure there might be some trick to this. That maybe the food and drink would be taken away from her, unless she told the truth.

"Come on now, I figured you must be hungry," Krystal said, sensing the girl's uneasiness.

The brown eyed girl wasn't completely convinced, but her stomach growled on her again. Finally she gave in and took the first bite. She waited to see if Krystal would say anything, but the witch made no response as the mortal girl ate her food. It was actually pretty good, and she didn't sense anything wrong with it. And the cola was cold and refreshing, but she only took small sips at a time, hoping that she wouldn't burp as much if she did.

When Christy finally finished eating, she untied the cloth that was around her neck and used it as a napkin, wiping her mouth and chin. Krystal's smile remained on her face as she spoke. "Now, about what I came down for… You are a pretty girl. I'm sure there must be someone special you are holding in your heart." She only had to wait a little, gazing into the girl's brown eyes, and she nodded slowly. "Just as I thought. But there is something that prevents you from pursuing him, correct?"

"Yes," Christy said slowly. She had a feeling she knew what this was about, but decided to listen to what Krystal had to say anyway.

"I have an offer for you, my dear. If you tell us the information we wish to know regarding the surviving Hychi clan member, I will allow you to win that person's heart."

"You offered this before," the mortal girl replied, trying to stay calm. "But…"

"The ache in your heart is strong," Krystal interrupted, placing her hand over the girl's chest. "I can feel it."

Christy sighed a little bit. She knew what this was about, and hoped she had the energy to resist the temptation. While she was still Jack's friend, a part of her still wished that it could be something more. "My heart does ache in pain," she agreed. "But, I can feel happy for him. All I want is his happiness. Forcing him to marry me…"

"Would it change your mind if the words were spoken by him?" the elder witch inquired.

"No, because I know it wouldn't be real."

"Are you sure that you can live out your life knowing that his love has been given to another?"

At this question, Christy paused. She closed her eyes, and thought she could see Jack somehow. He smiled as he handed over the dolphin pendant to her. It was then she began to picture what would happen if she caved in. Hikari would be killed, but while she would have the farmer to herself, both of them would be miserable.

"All I care about is his happiness," the brown eyed girl answered at last. "Even if it means that he loves someone else instead of me. I knew that ever since he left that it wouldn't work between us. I have grown to accept it, even though my heart still throbs in pain! It doesn't hurt as much as it did that day, but he is happy, and that's what is important to me. If I went through this, we would both be miserable!"

"Ah, but what if that happiness never existed?" Krystal questioned. "I could make it so that he would know only of you. There would be no shattered happiness. Just the happiness shared between you and him."

Christy was about to open her mouth to protest when the elder red haired witch continued talking. "And it wouldn't be just him. You would lose all memories of this. It would be as if you would have a fresh start."

It was all so tempting, even more than it was before. Neither one of them would know? That almost sounded like a dream come true! Then Jack really would be happy with her, and so would she. But, while it sounded good, she had to remember what else was at stake here.

It wasn't just Jack's happiness. The lives of Hikari and baby Christy would be at risk. Would that cute little baby even still exist? What about Hikari? The Witch Princess of the Hychi clan didn't do anything to her, nothing at all. Christy had accepted the fact that she and Jack would never be together some time ago.

And while she still cared for him deeply, she was still a close friend. In fact, they had been best friends and they still were despite the heartache she felt. Jack had helped and protected her every time before. But now, the tables had turned. Now, it was her turn to help him!

"It sounds very tempting… but my answer is still no!"

Krystal sighed sadly as she picked up the plate, that was covered in sauce and the empty soda can. She rose to her feet and gazed at the mortal girl below her. "That is unfortunate. I was trying to help you, you know? If you had agreed, not only would you be happy, but you wouldn't have to face my husband."

"I see," Christy whispered, a little surprised. "I was already warned last night however. Maya told me how harsh he can be. I'll just have to wait and see what he will do. I doubt I will have to wait long though."

"You would be correct," Krystal agreed. "I hope you reconsider by the time he shows up. If you don't, it will be a mistake on your part and you will suffer well beyond your limits!"

The brown haired girl did not respond. Instead she looked away and crossed her arms. It was true that she was very afraid what would happen now. What would Daniel do to her? She hoped that she had the strength to keep her promise.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Harvest Moon series.

Christy stood and uncrossed her arms as Krystal left the cage slowly. It was almost as if she was giving her a chance to change her mind. Yet, in spite of this, the brunette remained silent. As she had said several times before, this was one promise she was going to keep.

For the briefest instant she stared at the dolphin pendant. The piece of jewelry was very beautiful, and in her mind was a symbol of their friendship. And while her heart still grieved at times, she had indeed grown used to that fact.

Like she did earlier when Krystal was standing in front of her, she closed her eyes. This time Christy thought she could see not only Jack, but Hikari and baby Christy too. Then she saw herself holding onto the cute, little baby, cuddling her in her arms. Even though she hadn't been there long enough to be attached, she knew that if she had stayed longer she would have been. Baby Christy was just so adorable!

But the mortal was quick to open her eyes when her thoughts turned to the worst. She knew that if she told, it wouldn't be Hikari that was killed. The poor child would also suffer, and Christy would never forgive herself for that.

And then there was Jack. The farmer married the witch, and most likely he too would be killed for that. It was all just horrible.

"Christy?" Maya murmured weakly, catching the brown eyed girl's attention.

"I know. Your father is a very harsh man," the mortal remarked.

"It's more than that," the witch said slowly. "My father is more than just harsh. He is very strong and can be very persuasive. As my mother said, you will most likely start suffering even more than you have. I'm afraid that you will underestimate what he will do to you."

"No, I'm not," Christy replied. "I'm scared to tell you the truth. I don't know what will happen, or how I will suffer. But, I have to try, Maya! Many times before now, my friend has helped me! Now it is my turn to help him! I have made a promise that I intend to keep, no matter what!"

A little smile crossed the black haired witch's face. "I'll stand by you, Christy. Even if it means dying by my father's hand!"

The mortal girl forced a smile on her face. The thought of Maya dying seemed just as bad as either Jack or his new family dying. Now, she knew how the witch felt when she was nearly killed. "Maya… thank you…"

* * *

Time had passed, but it was difficult to tell how much. But all was quiet for the two captives. During this time, Christy's head was swirling, and none of the thoughts were good.

When Maya said that she was willing to die by her father's hand, it made her realize something. That either way, she may end up losing something dear to her heart. Either she told them what they wanted to know, and Hikari, along with Jack and baby Christy would die. Or, she could keep her promise, but chances are her friend Maya could be the one killed.

Just then, the silence was broken by the sound of someone coming down the stairs. This time, it was who they were expecting. Daniel looked through the bars of Christy's cage.

"Before you ask, I'm not telling you anything!" the brunette said, hoping she sounded confident.

"I see. Then you have left me no choice!" Daniel unlocked the door, opened it and came inside. He grabbed Christy's arm as roughly as he could and forced her into following him. But they weren't going up the stairs. Instead they were heading further into the basement.

Christy's eyes scanned the walls the further in they went. And what she saw caused her eyes to widen in fear. She had known before now, but this proved it. This wasn't her friend's home anymore. She didn't remember seeing the cells, or this many torture devices in her friend's basement. Most of them were torture devices that you would see in medieval times, such as the rack torture. She even saw a guillotine, too!

The wizard smirked when he felt the human girl shivering in his grip. "Scared, are you? There is still a chance. Just tell me what I want to know!"

Christy gulped a little bit, but tried to stand firmly. "No! I… won't tell you!"

Daniel suddenly stopped walking and forced the girl in front of him. They had finally reached the farthest point of the basement, but none of those devices were there, at least, not from what she could see.

"You will talk, you foolish mortal, even if I have to hurt you to do it!" Daniel chanted a spell, focusing it on the young girl.

A gasp escaped the girl's lips and she fell to her knees. Her body was filled with pain, but it felt like it was coming from the inside! She couldn't help thinking it felt like a burning fire in there! At this point, all she could think about was the pain that was flowing through her body.

"Stop!" Christy pleaded, wrapping her arms around herself as if it would help her. "S… stop this, please! It hurts!" She was screaming, her voice echoing off the walls.

Daniel gave the girl a cruel smile. "I seem to have found your breaking point. Tell me what I wish to know, and I'll stop!"

Christy gasped in pain, her eyes lowered to the ground. "No! I… won't tell!" Despite her words, she knew this meant he would hurt her even more. She had never felt such pain in her life!

Daniel was angry by this point. She was begging him to stop, and she still wouldn't tell? This meant he would have to take even more drastic measures. He knew many torture spells and would use them all if it was going to make her talk.

He did cease the spell he used against her, but then chanted another one. This one put pressure on her throat, making it so it was difficult to breathe, and her body was still getting over the last torture. This time, the mortal girl did not beg or plead, instead she said exactly what she had said many times before; that she wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know.

He squeezed his hand into a fist, cutting off a bit more of the girl's air. "Tell me! Tell me now!"

"N… no…" was all Christy could get out.

Daniel growled angrily at the girl. He never would have expected the girl not to crack so easily. He moved his hand away, causing the girl to weakly gasp in some air. By now, she was on her side. He waited for a few seconds before trying even more torture spells. All of the spells had a similar result; she would scream or gasp in pain, beg him to stop, but when he demanded her to give him the information he wanted, she said no.

By this point, the girl seemed at her limits. Anymore of this would likely kill her. And at this point, killing the girl wasn't an option if he wanted the information from her. He cast one final spell, knocking out the poor girl.

* * *

_Christy stood in what appeared to be complete darkness. Nothing seemed to be around her right now. All that she could see was darkness around her._

_She had never suffered so much. The pain she'd felt inside her body and being choked, among any other things. Daniel had not only proven what she had been told, but from what she could tell all of it nearly killed her. At least, she was sure that she wasn't dead now. She recognized the last spell that he had used against her as the one that knocked her out before she was captured._

"_I can't keep this up," she thought out loud. "I can only take so much pain. W… what can I do?"_

_She thought about it for a few minutes as she was trapped within this darkness. Only one thing made sense to her to do. It would take a lot of courage to do it, but she had no choice._


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Harvest Moon series.

**AN: This is the final chapter. It wasn't meant to be a super long story. Again, thanks goes to Awesome Rapidash for letting me write this and for helping me out!**

Christy slowly opened up her eyes, finding that she was back in her cage. But this time, she wasn't alone. She discovered that her friend Maya was close by. She still didn't look too good. The witch looked even more exhausted in fact.

"You're okay," the black haired witch murmured softly. "That's a relief. I've never been more tired in my life. I used as many healing spells as I could."

Christy smiled weakly. "Thank you, Maya. But why are…"

"Why am I here?" Maya interrupted. "I'm not sure. Father said he would be back later. And when you woke up, he said something about us suffering together."

The brunette went silent at that. She had a feeling she knew what this was about. That meant that she couldn't waste any time. She had to follow through with what she thought about.

As before, time passed and things seemed pretty quiet. Krystal had come down during that time, trying to convince Christy to talk. Once again, she tried to suggest about Jack, but Christy again said no. With that, Krystal shook her head and said something that almost struck fear within her heart. "You have resigned yourself then."

The mortal had a bad feeling about what this meant. They were going to suffer, but it sounded like they were going to die too!

Finally Daniel came to the cage, glaring angrily at the two girls. "I would have expected some results by now! Your will is strong, mortal. But not strong enough! Let's see what happens when I do try to kill you… starting with her!" The wizard pointed his finger at Maya.

Christy gasped in fear. She knew she had been right! This was the final straw. She knew she had no choice now. "No, you can't!"

"Don't worry, Christy," Maya said soothingly. "I told you I would stay by your side, remember? Even if it means my father kills me!"

Daniel smirked however when he saw the fear in Christy's eyes. "Yes, this is different than before. So, choosing to punish Maya isn't enough for you. Knowing that she could die… that is your breaking point!"

Maya gasped in horror, realizing what her father was saying. "Christy, no! Don't betray your friends!"

The mortal didn't look like she had listened. She was on her knees and her hands were clasped together. "Please! Don't kill Maya! I… I'll tell you!"

"Christy…, why? Don't do this!"

Daniel grinned at the girl. "Now that is more like it. Now, tell me what you know!"

Christy nodded rapidly and looked toward Maya first. She gave the terrified witch a small nod and a wink before looking back at Daniel. "You know how it was said I went to the valley? Well, that's a lie. I went to Flowerbud Village. When I was there, I not only met with my friend, but his wife and their child.

"I was only there for a day, but I was happy to meet her. I could tell that she was different than many others, and I thought that my friend was lucky. And, I was even more flattered when he told me that he named the child after me."

"Do not beat around the bush, mortal!" Daniel growled. "What does this have to do with the last remaining clan member?"

Christy sighed, wondering if Maya had caught her signal. She hoped so. "Because my friend's wife… she is the last surviving member, and before I left she made me promise not to tell."

"Christy, no," Maya murmured.

Daniel laughed. "Well, well, isn't that interesting? It's no wonder Krystal's attempt failed then! But now, we have the information we seek! Flowerbud Village… so that is where she has been hiding. I knew you would cooperate with us."

"Christy, how could you?" Maya questioned her. "You do realize that you have sentenced your friends to die!"

"Yes, I do," Christy said softly. "But… I… Maya…" She wasn't sure what her friend was feeling. It sounded as if she was upset with her.

Daniel only chuckled at the two. "Well, I'll let you two suffer a little more while we go to Flowerbud Village!" He laughed a bit as he left the two trapped in the cage. Neither of the girls spoke until Daniel's footsteps faded away, going up the stairs.

"Christy, you were lying just then weren't you?" Maya asked at last. "You didn't really tell him, did you?"

"No, I didn't," Christy said happily, relieved that her friend wasn't angry at her. "I'm going to be honest with you, Maya. I really did go to Forget Me Not Valley. That is where she is. I didn't lie that she was married to my friend and the fact the child is named after me. But… if they find out that she isn't there like I said…"

"Then they might figure everything you said is a lie," Maya said with a small smile. "But you do know that they will kill us."

Christy nodded and looked at her friend. "I know that, but you know… you are a witch."

"True," the witch agreed smiling widely. "I do know a teleportation spell that we can use now that we are together. But, I've never used it before, so I could screw up."

"Well… that's all well and good. But we need something else if we want to get away," Christy said with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Aren't you good with illusion spells too? Some pretty realistic illusions as I remember."

A smile crossed Maya's face. She knew exactly what her friend was talking about.

* * *

Hours later, Daniel returned to the basement absolutely furious. He was enraged! That mortal girl had lied to them!

He had gone with the rest of the family, minus Maya, but they couldn't feel the magical energies that belonged to the Hychi clan. All they felt was the power of the Harvest Goddess of the area and her Harvest Sprites.

Daniel could feel the magic burning on his fingertips. He was not giving that girl another chance. After all, if she lied about where the surviving member was, then it was very likely that she lied about even knowing her at all! He was going to kill her as well as the daughter who betrayed their entire clan.

When he got to the cell that the two girls were imprisoned in, he noticed the look in their eyes. Fear seemed to fill their eyes. Yet at the same time, a look of victory filled them as well. They didn't want to die, but it looked like they had succeeded against all odds. In his fury, he attacked without hesitation. The echoes of their screams pounded in his ears, and he loved every second of it.

* * *

The sounds of waves crashing against the beach caught Christy's attention. Where were they? The last thing she could remember was that Maya used her teleportation spell after she finished her illusion spell. It was so realistic too. More so than most illusion spells, but then again, it was one of Maya's specialties!

She was sure that by now, the real looking illusions were dead, killed by an angry Daniel. If that was true, then they wouldn't have to worry about him looking for them. But still, that didn't answer her question on where she was now.

"Maya?" she whispered.

"Oh my, what happened to you?" a male's voice suddenly called.

Christy looked up noticing a young man. He seemed dressed as a farmer with blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. "You two look terrible. What happened?"

The brunette smiled slightly, and then she explained about what happened. After learning that the two were okay, he showed relief. And when he learned that Maya was a witch, he said he wasn't concerned about that. His reason was because of a wizard named Median who moved here some time ago.

"Oops, pardon me for being rude," the young man said suddenly. "My name is Mark. And you are?"

"Christy, and this is my friend, Maya," Christy introduced warmly. By this time, the witch was awake and was pleased by what happened. Although she had intended to take them to Forget Me Not Valley or Flowerbud Village, but this island was pretty good too.

This was not only a fresh start for the two girls, it turned into something more, something that filled the void in Christy's heart. The void left by Jack. It happened when she met the wizard named Median. Like before they started out as friends. Then she found those feelings develop over time and it turned into so much more.

* * *

Five years had passed and Christy couldn't have been happier. She sat within the hut and looked over at a white haired man. He appeared to be smiling as he gazed at their three year old son, who seemed disappointed about something.

"You'll get it eventually, Jack," he said warmly. "One of these days, you'll be floating just like you daddy!"

The little boy looked happy when he heard his father's words. "Okay! I'll try again later, so Mommy can watch too!"

Christy grinned a little. "I can't wait. Just let Mommy finish this letter." She turned her attention to the piece of paper in front of her and began to write.

"_Dear Jack,_

_I hope you are doing well. How is Hikari and little Christy? You know, I was thinking of visiting of you sometime soon. I'm hoping I can convince Median and my son to come with me too._

_There is something I've been meaning to tell you. And until now, I haven't felt a need to tell you. But you are the only other person I am willing to tell._

_I've known the truth about Hikari. That she is a member of the Hychi clan. Because of this knowledge, I was captured by Maya's family who are of the Huuga clan. I endured suffering to keep my promise. I'm sure by now Hikari has told you about the secret._

_But among the pain I had, there is something else I need to tell you. My love for you… what I thought was love for you… was almost turned against me. I was told that you would be mine if I agreed to tell them. But, I want you to know that I didn't fall for it. I knew what would happen and I didn't care what I was told._

_On a lighter note, I'm doing much better than I had. I don't regret meeting Median at all. And my son Jack is really cute. He's only three and yet he wants to try floating, just like his Father!_

_And just to reassure you, Median won't tell anyone. He's not of the Huuga clan so you don't need to fear about that._

_Maya is doing well too. While it took longer for them, she and Mark got married a couple months ago. The wedding was so beautiful! She moved into the farmhouse and told me just how different it is for her._

_Well, I'll bet my son is getting impatient with me, so I better be going now. I miss you, Hikari and little Christy. Hope to see you again soon!_

_Your friend, always and forever_

_Christy."_

The brunette smiled as she put her pen down and then turned her gaze to her son. She was sure that her life would just get better and better. In that way, she was pleased with herself for keeping her secret. Because if she hadn't, she wouldn't be here now.


End file.
